WHAT IS PEMPHIGUS?
Pemphigus vulgaris is a rare autoimmune disease that causes painful blistering on the skin and mucous membranes. If you have an autoimmune disease, your immune system mistakenly attacks your healthy tissues. In pemphigus vulgaris, the immune system attacks cells found in a deep layer of skin, as well as cells found in the mucous membrane (the protective lining of the mouth, nostrils, throat, genitals and anus). This causes blisters to form in the affected tissue. It’s unclear what causes the immune system to go wrong in this way. Certain genes have been linked to an increased risk of pemphigus vulgaris, but it doesn’t tend to run in families.
PEMPHIGUS SYMPTOMS
Pemphigus vulgaris affects the mucous membranes, which are found in areas including the:
- mouth
- throat
- nose
- eyes
- genitals
- lungs
This disease usually starts with blisters in the mouth and then on the skin. The blisters sometimes affect the membranes of the genitals.
TREATMENTS
Treatment is aimed at reducing pain and symptoms and preventing complications like infection. It involves one or more drugs and other methods. It may include any of the following: Immune-suppressing drugs, Antibiotics, Antivirals, and antifungals, Intravenous (IV) feeding, Plasmapheresis
